Dakota Ditcheva Returns to the Octagon in Dubai
PFL star Dakota Ditcheva will make her long-awaited return to the octagon on February 7 in Dubai, facing Denise Kielholtz in a flyweight bout that will mark the start of the promotion’s 2026 season. The event, called PFL: Road to Dubai, will be the first on the PFL calendar in 2026. The main event will feature the lightweight title fight between Usman Nurmagomedov and Alfie Davis. Ditcheva, with an undefeated record of 15-0, will seek to get back on track after an injury. Her last fight was in July, where she obtained a decision victory over Sumiko Inaba, although she suffered a hand fracture during the fight. This was the first time Ditcheva went the distance in her career. After her victory, Ditcheva announced the signing of a new contract with the PFL, securing her future in the promotion. In 2024, Ditcheva was crowned champion of the PFL world tournament, surpassing veterans like Taila Santos and Jena Bishop on her way to the title.Her opponent, Kielholtz, a former professional kickboxing champion and former Bellator MMA title contender, will seek to impose her experience in this matchup. Kielholtz competed for the Bellator title against Juliana Velasquez in 2021, losing by split decision.
